Net holder



Patented June 7, 1932 JACOB L. KLEINMAN,

PATENT O FICE on NEW YORK, N. Y.

NET HOLDER Application filed Apri126,

This invention relates to tennis netholders and more particularly to table tennis net holders, for use in playing what is known a ping-pong tennis. 7

A primary object of this invention is to provide a net holder so constructed that the several parts thereof canbe stamped of thin pieces of sheet metal and so configured as to have substantially the same strength as parts made of heavy castings or of comparatively thick material.

A further object of the invention is to provide a net holder having means for readily adjusting the tension of the net.

Another object is to provide a net holder having means for evenly adjusting the tension of the net.

A still further object is to provide a net holding assembly consisting of a table clamp, a movable net holder and a member disposed at the top of the table holder adapted to engage the net holder and operating to control the movement of the net holder. 7

Still a further object is to provide a net holding assembly including a table clamp portion having a movable plate arranged to engage the underside of the table, thus preventing injury to the table when the clamping screw forming part of the assembly is turned tight.

Another object is to provide a net holding assembly consisting of a table clamp and a movable net holder wherein said clamp and holder are provided with interfitting ribs and grooves, whereby the net holder is positively guided in its movements during the adjustment thereof.

Still another object is to provide a net holder having a hinged member for holding the net.

It is also an object of this invention to provide a net holding assembly consisting of a table clamp and a net holder, wherein said table clamp has portions projecting above its 1932. Serial No. 6075650.

surface for the purpose of holding and guiding the net holder.

Still a further object is to provide a net holding assembly so constructed as to permit the use of a very thin material, thereby reducing the Weight of material required, and of a type that is practical, durable, useful, convenient to operate, simple and economical to manufacture. i j I 1 Other objects and advantages of the present invention will appear from the description thereof to follow taken in connection with the accompanying drawing in which- Fig. 1 is a side view of an assembled table tennis net holding set embodying my pres ent invention.

Fig. 2 is a view taken along the line 2-2 of Fig. 1, showing in more detail the structure of the movable plate portion which is to engage the underside of the table top.

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a portion of the net holder taken along line 3- -3 of Fig. 1. i

Fig. 4 is a front view of a'portion of the table clamp and of the net holder.

Fig. 5 is amodified form of the structure shown in Fig. 4. J

Fig. 6 is another modified form of the construction shown in Fig.- 4.

Fig. 7 is a cross-sectional view along the line 7-7 of Fig. 6.

Fig. .8 is a modified view of the upper portion of" the net holder show-ing how the net may be attached directly to the net holder, and

Fig. 9is a modified view of a portion of Fig.1.

Referring to the drawing; 5 indicates the clamp which fits over a table (not shown), said clamp being provided with a back portion 6 and a bottom portion 7. A bead, rib or tongue 8 is formed on the top, back and bottom portions of said clamp. The edges 9 of the back portion 6 and of a part of the portions 5 and 7 are flared to one side and form flanges 9. Due to such construction the clamp can be made considerably strong and of comparatively thin material, whereby the 1 weight of the assembly is reduced and thereby the manufacturing cost diminished. The bottom portion 7 is provided with a hole 10, the edge 11 being struck upwardly thereby providing a larger surface for threading.

plate 13 formed with an opening 14 is slidably mounted on the back portion 6, said plate 13 is also provided with a depression 15', said depression is provided with a counter-sunk portion 16. A screw 17 is inserted into hole and engages portion 16 andon'proper rotation pushes plate 13 towardflth'e.table; due to the depression the plate 13 possesses great strength and when forced againstthe table, the surface 18 engages the underside of the table top, the screw 17beingthus kept away from direct contact withany part of the table, and injury to the table-avoided that may otherwise be doneto the table when attaching the clamp. The upperportion of clamp 5 is provided with-offset portions 19, said offset portions19'being bent over a slidably attached member 20, saidfmember 20' made of twopiecesif so desired {the edges of flange 24 are flared away-andbendmoone sideasat 26-(Fig. 3) thusmaki-ngthe whole member 20' a. strong and rigid structure. The top portion of flange 24 is bent into a U-shape 27 wherein a member 28 is placed, the flaps 29 are provided with holes 30, a pin-or rivet is then inserted, passing through an opening (not shown) of member 28, permitting-said member 28 to hinge uponsaid pin; said-member 28 is also provided withholesor openings 31-for-the purpose of'having strings of a net (not shown) attached thereto,.this member 28 may be stamped or bent of any suitable material. From the abovedescription it evident that when'the clamps are-attached to each side of the table, the net tightened to members28, the screw'23 is then loosened, member 20 pulled away thus tightening the net, member 28 will hinge to eveirthe tension ofthe upper andlowe'r edge portion of the net, giving same a complete straight form. In case the net should happento be too tight, member'28' will spring and give a little, thus perfecting the tension of the net. The screw 231's then tightened and there we have a perfeet, practical, adjustable 'net holder.

With reference to modified form Fig. 5, V

clamp 5 has two beads or ribs 8 instead of one (see Figs. 1 and 4), the edges 32 form the offset or inclined portions 19. Member 20 is shaped all the way through the same way as flange 24 (see Figs. 1 and 3). Screw 23 is also included and the result is practically the same as that of Fig. 1, but, whereas in Figs.

1 and 4 groove 21 of member 20 slides over bead or rib 8 of clamp 5, in this modified form 5, the round-shaped inner surface 33 of member 20 slide over the'beads or ribs 8, while the inclined edges 34 are housed in channels or grooves 35. r

With reference to modified form Figs. 6 and 7, a hole 36 is formed in bead 8 of clamp 5,

and bead 21 of member 20 is provided with a slot 37, screw 23 is then passed. through saidslot'and'inserted into hole 36, when said screw 23 is loosened, member 20 can then be moved. there and back,but when screw 23' is tightened shoulder 88 will press upon the edges 39 of the slot 37, thereby'preventing the movement of said member 20],thus we have the same effect as of Fig.1. j

1 It will be noted thaton account of the bead construction the end 23 of screw will not touch or injure any part of the table.

With reference to Fig. 8, this modified'form shows flange 24 without a 'U-shape 27 and withoutmember 28 but instead, said'l'lange 24 is formed with a hole 3 'through which string 39 of a net (not shown) is inserted,'the remainder of said string is then wound'and tightened around said fiange'24 at inclined sections 40 to hold'said string 39' tight to flange 24- as at 41.

lVith reference to Fig. 9 this inodifi'edform shows'member 28 being hingeablyconnected to a screw element .42 said element '42 is slidably mounted in opening 43 of'fiange 24, a thumb screw or nut 44 is rotatablyv mounted on said screw'element 42so that when, during play, the net loosens or sags, a few-turns'of nut 44 will again tighten thenet. Thispartioular structure maybe used to great ad vantage in regular tennis net sport.

From the above description it is evident that the principal idea of this invention is to solve the question of how to manufacture fora reasonable price a good, -sol-id,strong, serviceable net holder. Applicant duringhi-s experimentshas found that the groovea-nd tongue bend-s 'as suggested and employed in the making of this invention, in. addition to guiding each other when assembled'and being adjusted, also reinforce and stiffenthe parts, therefore a much thinner materialmay be used, greatly reducingthe weightof each set of net holders, thereby greatly reducing the cost of suchnet holders, resulting in bemg able to sell same for a; much cheaper price to the trade and to the consumer.

Although Ihave mentioned in describing my inventlon certaln parts-thatmay be used,

yet I desire it to be understood that various modifications and various changes indetail may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention.

I claim:

1. A net holder for table tennis and similar games, comprising a substantially U-shaped member one of whose arms is adapted to engage the top surface of a table, a screw threaded through the other arm, a plate guided by said member and engaged by said screw, said plate adapted to engage the underside of a table, a net anchoring element movably disposed on the first mentioned arm, both said member and element made of sheet metal and at least a portion of said member and said element being corrugated to increase the strength thereof and in such manner that the corrugation in said element interfits with the corrugation in said first mentioned arm, whereby said element is guided in its adjusting movements on such arm by said interfitting corrugations, and means for securing said element in adjusted position.

2. A net holder for table tennis and similar games, comprising a substantially U- shaped member one of whose arms is adapted to engage the top surface of a table, means associated with the other arm and adapted to engage the underside of a table, a net anchoring element movably associated with said first mentioned arm, both said member and element made of fiat material and at least a portion of said member and said element being corrugated to increase the strength thereof and in such manner that the corrugation in said element interfits with the corrugation in said first mentioned arm, whereby said element is guided in its adjusting movements on such arm by said interfitting corrugations, and means for securing said element in ad j usted position.

3. A net holder as set forth in claim 2, wherein said last mentioned means comprises a screw threaded into an upwardly extending portion of the first mentioned arm.

4. A net holder as set forth in claim 2, including a net-engaging member pivotally mounted on said anchoring element.

5. A net holder comprising a mounting member, an upstanding post and a hingeable net supporting member connected to said post and operating to adjust the tension of the upper and lower edges of the net.

6. In a net holder for table tennis and similar games, comprising a corrugated U- shaped member, a corrugated net supporting member associated with said U-shaped memher, and means co-operating with a plate guided by said U-shaped member for securing the latter to a table top.

7. In a net holding assembly for table tennis and similar games, comprising a U- shaped member, a net supporting element associated with said member, one portionof saidmember adapted to engage the surface of a table top, a plate'asso'ciated with said member and adapted toengagethe underside of said table top "and means for securing said plate ands'aid memberto said; table top, said name- 11 being adjustable independently of said'nieans.

{85" In a net holding assemblyforj tabletennis and similar games, comprising-a U- shaped member'l'iaving an-adjust'able-element, a plate, associated with said member and being engaged bysaid element and adapted to be forced against a table top surface, thereby securing said member to said table top, a net supporting member associated with said first mentioned member andadapted to be independently adjustable thereon, said plate having a depressed portion to increase the strength thereof.

9. A net holder for table tennis and similar games comprising a U-shaped member and amovable net supporting element, at least a part of the edge portions of said member and element being of acute angular shape and interfitting with each other so as to prevent longitudinal displacement, means for adjusting the movements between said element and 7 said member, a plate having an irregular surface associated with said Ushaped member member to a table top.

10. A net holder comprising an upstanding post, means for securing said post to a playing surface, a net-supporting member hingeably connected to an element, sail element loosely mounted in said post, and means for adjusting the movement of said element in said post, thereby adjusting the tension of the net. 7

11. A net holder comprising a mounting member, an upstanding post, and a hingeable net supporting member the ends of which are secured to the upper and lower strands of a net and being connected to said post and operating to adjust evenly the tension of the upper and lower edges of the net,

said hingeable member being yielding to limit the tension in the net.

12. In a net holder as set forth in claim 2, wherein said means comprises an upwardly extending portion struck from the body of said arm.

13. A net holder for table tennis and similar games, comprising a mounting member having one arm engaging a playing surface, fastening means for securing said member to said playing surface, a net supporting element slidable on saidarm in such manner that when said member and element are in operative position said element does not directly engage said playing surface and may be adjusted independently of said fastening means. j

14. A net holder for table tennis and similar games, comprising a mounting member and means for securingsaid plate and said 9 lab i 7 meg-214s having one arm engitging the surfaee of a table top, fastening means for securing said member to: said table top, a hat fsupporting? element slidableon -,-said arm in such manner that whemsaidbmember and el'ement are in, pemtive position said-element doesnotdi-r rectly. engage sgid surface of saidtable tqp aneln y be admstedindependently of said I fastening mean-s.

In testimony Whereb f; I hm'eunimv affix my signature. I V .7

V JJAQQB L. KLEINMAN. 

